This is a list of chiefs of the Seminole, which includes military and civic leaders of the

Seminole people The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and ...

, who today are enrolled in the

Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida is a federally recognized Native American tribe in the U.S. state of Florida. They were part of the Seminole nation until the mid-20th century, when they organized as an independent tribe, receiving fed ...

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is a List of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the largest of the three federally recognized Se ...

, and

Seminole Tribe of Florida The Seminole Tribe of Florida is a federally recognized Seminole tribe based in the U.S. state of Florida. Together with the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, it is one of three federally recognized Semi ...

Leading chiefs (1750–1849)

There were four leading chiefs of the

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...

, a Native American tribe that formed in what was then Spanish Florida in present-day United States. They were leaders between the time the tribe organized in the mid-18th century until

Micanopy Micanopy (c. 1780 – December 1848 or January 1849), also known as Micco-Nuppe, Michenopah, Miccanopa, and Mico-an-opa, and Sint-chakkee ("pond frequenter", as he was known prior to being selected as chief), was the leading chief of the Sem ...

and many Seminole were removed to

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...

in the 1830s following the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...

. * Cowkeeper, 1750-1783 *

King Payne King Payne (died 1812) was a son of the Seminole high chief Cowkeeper and succeeded him as leading chief of the Seminoles upon his death in 1783. He led his people against the Spanish and Americans from Georgia and established a number of towns a ...

, 1783-1812 *

Bolek Bolek (died 1819), also spelled as Boleck or Bolechs, and known as Bowlegs by European Americans, was a Seminole principal chief, of the Alachua culture, Alachua chiefly line. He was the younger brother of King Payne, who succeeded their father ...

, 1812-1819 *

, 1819-1849

Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida

The

were recognized by the state of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 1957, and gained federal recognition in 1962 as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. * ca. late 18th c.–1819:

Kinache Kinache (c. 1750 – c. 1819) was a Seminole chieftain who commanded Seminole forces against the United States during the American Revolution and later during the First Seminole War. He is also known as ''Kinhega'', ''Kinheja'', ''Kinhija'', ''Opie ...

, also

Kinhagee Kinache (c. 1750 – c. 1819) was a Seminole chieftain who commanded Seminole forces against the United States during the American Revolution and later during the First Seminole War. He is also known as ''Kinhega'', ''Kinheja'', ''Kinhija'', ''Opie ...

(ca. 1750–ca. 1819), the last chief of the Creek of

Miccosukee, Florida Miccosukee is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Leon County, Florida, United States. It is located at the junction of County Road 59 (Veterans Memorial Drive) and County Road 151 (Moccasin Gap Road). Miccosukee was a major center ...

, who was defeated in battle in 1818 by US forces commanded by General

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

. Later Kinhagee's people migrated south, maintaining their local village name Miccosukee as the name of the tribe. * 1962–1985: William Buffalo Tiger, also

Buffalo Tiger William Buffalo TigerTom Wells ( ...

or Heenehatche, (1920–2015), first chief of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, led initiatives for self-determinationHarry A. Kersey Jr., "Buffalo Tiger, Bobo Dean, and the “Young Turks”: A Miccosukee Prelude to the 1975 Indian Self-Determination Act"
''American Indian Culture and Research Journal'', Volume 29, Number 1 / 2005, ISSN 0161-6463 (Print) * 1986–2011: Billy Cypress, tribal chairman * 2011–2015: Colley Billie, tribal chairman, ousted in 2015 * 2015–2016: Roy Cypress Jr., interim tribal chairman * 2015–present: Billy Cypress,

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

* 1819–1849:

(ca. 1780–ca. 1849) * 1849–:

John Jumper John Jumper may refer to: * John Jumper (Seminole chief), principal chief of the Seminole Nation * John M. Jumper, AI researcher * John P. Jumper John Phillip Jumper (born February 4, 1945) is a retired United States Air Force general, who serv ...

(ca. 1820–1896), chief of Confederate faction of Seminole * 1882–1885:

, chief * 1866–1881:

John Chupco John Chupco (ca. 1821–1881) was a leader of the ''Hvteyievlke'', or Newcomer, Band of the Seminole during the time of their forced relocation to Indian Territory.May, Jon D"Chupco, John (ca. 1821–1881)." ''Oklahoma Historical Society's Encyclop ...

(ca. 1821–1881), town chief, leader of Union faction of Seminoles, Hvteyievike Band * 1885–1901: John F. Brown (1842–1919), governor, Tiger clan * 1905–1919: John F. Brown, governor * 1922–1935: Alice Brown Davis (1852–1935), chief * 1935–1936: Chili Fish, chief * 1936–1946: George Jones, chief * 1942–1944: Willie Haney, chief * 1944–1946: Jeffie Brown, principal chief * 1948–1952: George Harjo (1886–1952), chief, Tvsekayv Haco Band, Bear Clan * 1952–1954: Marcy Cully, Nokuse (1910–1954), chief * 1955–1950: Phillip Walker, chief * 1960–1969: John A. Brown, principal chief * 1969–1972: Terry Walker, chief * 1972–1973: Floyd Harjo, chief * 1973–1977: Edwin Tanyan, chief * 1977–1978: Richmond Tiger, chief * 1978–1981: Tom Palmer, chief * 1979–1985: James Milam, principal chief * 1985–1989: Edwin Tanyan, chief * 1989–2001: Jerry Haney, principal chief * 2003–2005 : Kenneth Edwards Chambers, principal chief * 2005–2009:

Enoch Kelly Haney Enoch Kelly Haney (November 12, 1940 – April 23, 2022) was an American politician and internationally recognized Seminole/Muscogee artist from Oklahoma, He served as principal chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma from 2005 until 2009 and p ...

, principal chief * 2009–2017: Leonard M. Harjo, principal chief * 2017–Present: Greg P. Chilcoat, principal chief, Tusekia Harjo Band and Deer Clan

Seminole Tribe of Florida

* 1957–1966:

Billy Osceola Billy Osceola, (July 4, 1920 – August 1, 1974) was the first elected chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. He became an ordained minister and was extremely influential in shifting the Seminole Tribe of Florida from traditional spiritual pract ...

, inaugural holder. * 1967–1971:

Betty Mae Tiger Jumper Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, also known as ''Potackee'' (April 27, 1923 – January 14, 2011) (Seminole) was the first and so far the only female chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. A nurse, she co-founded the tribe's first newspaper in 1956, the ...

, first and only chairwoman of the tribe, editor-in-chief of the ''Seminole Tribune,''"About Us"
, ''The Seminole Tribune'', 2013 tribal communications director, and the last matriarch of the Snake clan. Jumper spoke English, Mikasuki, and Muskogee. * 1971–1979:

Howard Tommie Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...

, political leader and two-term chairman of Seminole Tribal Council who initiated programs in the 1970s, including accepting the U.S. land claim settlement; successfully negotiated with the

State of Florida Florida is a U.S. state, state located in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia (U.S. state), Geo ...

for water rights for the Seminole reservations, and establishment of tax-free smoke shops and high-stakes bingo as revenue generators. Tommie speaks English, Mikasuki, and Muskogee. * 1979–2003:

Jim Billie James Edward Billie (born March 20, 1944), known as Chief Jim Billie, is a politician who chaired the Seminole Tribe of Florida from 1979 to 2001, and again from 2011 to 2016. Billie's first tenure was the longest "of any elected leader in the ...

, suspended in 2001, officially removed in 2003. Billie chaired during an expansion of Indian gaming and increase in tribal wealth and economic development. * 2003–2011:

Mitchell Cypress Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territory ...

* 2011–2016:

, re-elected and again removed by Seminole Tribal Council in a unanimous vote (4–0) on account of "various issues with policies and procedures of the Chairman's office." * 2016–present: Marcellus Osceola Jr.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiefs Of The Seminoles Titles and offices of Native American leaders Lists of Native American people Native American leaders